John h



J. H. DURHAM.

4SHIPPING CASE FOR PHOTGGRAPHIG DRY PLATES.

No. 331,385. PatentedDec. 1, 1885..

(No ModeL) Inventor: y Ja/Jazlrlwm ttjvzeyr V `UNTTED STATES ATENT EETEE@ JOHN H. DURHAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO,

LAWRENCE C. MOORE, OF SAME PLACE.

SHIPPING-CASE FOR PHOTOGRAPt-HC @Rhin-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,325, dated December l, 1885.

Application filed May 29, 1855. Serial No. 167,08?. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DURHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shipping-Cases for lhotographic Dry-Plates, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a box or case embodying my invention, a portionof the same being broken away to show the internal construction; and Fig. 2, a transverse sectional View ofthe same, taken on the line y y of Fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts in both the ligures of the drawings.

My invention relates to shipping boxes or cases constructed for containing dry-plates for photographers7 use, its object being to produce a box which can be constructed at a small cost, and will protect the plates from injury during transportation, either by contact with each other or with the portions of the box which support the plates; and to these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe, and will then specifically point out in the claims.-

In the drawings, A represents a box suitably constructed of pasteboard, straw-board, or any other suitable material, and provided with a cover, A.- This box is of a height and breadth substantially equal to the corresponding dimensions ofthe plates which it is intended to contain, and of athiclrncss proportionate to the number of plates which the box is adapted to contain, it being shown in the present instance as adapted to contain a dozen plates, although it is obvious that it may be constructed to contain a greater or less number. rlhe box is open at one end to receive the plates, which are slipped into it endwise, and is provided wth permanent internal separators attache'd to the box. These separators are constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and consist of flanges or strips a, attached to back pieces, a, as hereinafter described, the back pieces being in turn secured to the edges of the box. The strips project inward, as shown, extending from the top to the bottom of the box, and forming grooves or spaces b between each pair of stri ps, in which the plates B are placed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Since the thickness of the plates of glass is frequently unequal, I find it desirable to make provision `for this inequality, and for this purpose I so construct the separator-strij'is that, while they are permanent as regards their connection with the interior ol" the box, they are, however, adjustable or self-adjusting as regards their distance from one another. In order to effect this, each back piece, c', only extends a portion of the entire length of the edge of the box, being undercut at its ends, as shown at ai. The strips a are each provided with a recess, a, corresponding in length to the length of the back piece, a", and undercut at its ends in the same manner as the ends of the back piece are undercut. In this construction it will be secu that each strip is permanently retained in place by means of the back piece, which fits within the under-cut recess in the strip, while at the same time the strip may be moved transversely upon the back piece, so as to approach nearer to either of the neighboring strips. The dry-plates are grouped in pairs back to back, or with their uncoated surfaces adjacent to each other, and are, While in this position, placed within the grooves I) between the strips c', the strips readily yielding to assume their proper position, thus accommodating themselves to any variation of thickness in the several plates. rIhe strips will serve to hold the plates firm] y in position without any rattling, and prevent any contact of the cheinicallyeoated surfaces of the plates with one another or with any other injurious object.

The strips a, which form the separators, andl the back piece, a, upon which they are mounted, may be constructed of any suitable matcrial, but are preferably constructed of Wood, although metal or pasteboard may be employed for this purpose. The strip may be applied tothe back pieces and boxblanlr before the latter' isi'ormedinto acomplcte box; or the box may rst be completed and the strips then slipped upon the back pieces, and these latter subsequently secured Within the box.

I am aware that heretofore separators consisting of rectangular strips of pasteboard loosely laid betWeen the dry-plates have been employed. I am also aware that permanent separator-strips rigidly attached to the edges of the box have been employed. I therefore do not Wish to be understood as claiming,` either of these constructions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A shipping ease or box for photographie dry-plates provided with a series of adjustable separators permanently supported Within the box, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, with the box or ease,

of back pieces attached to its edges, and separator-strips adj ustably mounted on the back pieces, substantially as and for the purposes speoed.

3. The combination, with the box A, of the back pieees, a', undercut at their ends, and the separating-strips a, having recesses a3 to reeeive the back pieces, a', upon which the strips are adjustably mounted, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN H. DURHAM.

Vitnesses:

ADELLE L. PHARE, IRVINE MILLER. 

